This invention has many possible applications where water-in-oil emulsions can be used since it reduces odors of the formulations and improves their use life, emulsion stability, and freeze-thaw stability, such as in paint strippers, cleaners, perfume concentrates, paste waxes, and the like. It is particularly advantageous in paint removers since the inclusion of paraffin wax can also improve the stripping efficiency by retarding evaporation of ingredients such as water and other volatiles that enhance stripping, improve flow characteristics and cling of the stripper to vertical surfaces, permit the use of less stripper, and, because it does not dry out, improve water rinsing.
One such paint stripper formulation which can benefit from this invention is disclosed in commonly owned, copending application Ser. No. 777,865, filed Oct. 6, 1991, the entire specification of which is incorporated herein by reference. This application describes a formulation containing a water-in-oil emulsion where the "oil" phase is a mixture of organic solvents comprised of a benzyl (or methylbenzyl) ester and, preferably, a benzyl (or methylbenzyl) alcohol and (to some extent) formic acid. The ester is preferably formed in situ by reaction of the alcohol and acid.